Why I hate Surprises
by bookwormygirl
Summary: Alex Rider thought he knew it all as a teenage spy. But he never thought that he was a son of a greek immortal...  Takes place after "the Last Olympian" and "SCORPIA"
1. Chapter 1

Summary: The superspy Alex Rider thought he knew it it all. But he never thought he was a son of a Greek immortal... (Takes place after SCORPIA and the Last Olympian. )

* * *

Alex knew something was wrong when he heard growling. Being in a cell had been bad enough, but when his captor started growling... well, let's say he knew his captor had something very very weird about him. "Well, well, well, _grr_. The famous Alex Rider is in my _Grrrrrasp_. I'm sure he'll make a nice meal, even though he's a little bit bony for my taste, and his blood type is A: the taste is sometimes too sweet. "The man snarled, and started pacing around him. Alex looked at his captor with a sneer and said, "yeah, a good meal. Nice one. I you cannibalistic as well as psychotic?" Alex silently wondered dryly whether or not his captor really was cannibalistic- that was not going to end well.

His captor glared at Alex angrily, but continued to pace, and started licking his lips. Alex watched the man warily, and thought: how many times can these idiots underestimate me to understand that I shouldn't be looked down upon? For his captor had made a fatal mistake.

For that, he was going to pay.

But before Alex could make his move, he heard clangs of metal on metal- as if someone was sword fighting right outside his cell. The captor whipped his head back, as if startled, and snarled angrily, like a dog which had its meal taken right under his nose. And in away, he did: he had a made a mistake of turning his back against The Alex Rider.

Alex lunged and punched his captor in the windpipe- his captor hadn't bothered tying up its meal, thinking that it was harmless and would be paralyzed in fear. Alex grimly heard the snap of the man's neck, clearly signaling the man's death. Alex expected the man to fall, but instead, the unimaginable happened.

The man crumbled into sand, and like a sandcastle blown away by an electric fan, it drifted towards Alex, and got mangled up in his blond hair. As Alex stood there, dumbfounded, he didn't realized the sound of battle had ceased; all was quiet expect for his deep breathing.

The door busted open. Alex whirled around, heart hammering, to see a very beautiful blond girl with grey eyes. Her face had a fierce expression, and she had a knife - a knife! - In her hand. Alex tensed, waiting for the mysterious girl to attack; instead, she was taking everything she saw in to her brain, and her grip on the knife visibly relaxed. She looked at Alex, and in a bold voice she stated, "I'm Annabeth; I'm actually supposed to save your life, but as you've already done that, we'll compromise to taking you in."

Alex simply stood there, uncomprehending. Then, he fainted from exhaust and shock.

* * *

AN:

Yup, my first fanfic. Flaming isn't nice, but constructive critism is. I think.

Just to tell you, I lose motivation a bit too quickly, but I promise I'll do my best if people review.

'Til next time!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Chiron

Yay! Second Chapter! Thank you so much for your reviews! It got me giggling and laughing for no reason! I'm not alone! Ice creams are yummy! I'm getting weird! (stupid hormones...)

Anyway, thank you for all the constructive criticism. I've tried to put that in mind in this chapter. Sit back and Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or AR. Sadly.

* * *

Alex found himself lying on a bed, alone. Alex blinked many times, trying to clear the fog of drowsiness, while oblivious to his troubles, injuries, everything. He groaned, thinking that he had either been captured again, or that the girl -what was her name?- had relocated him. Thinking about the girl, he was jolted out of his reverie. Who the hell was she? Was she even real? Or had he just dreamed all of that- which would make sense, considering that that man had simply evaporated into golden sand.

He wanted to believe that everything was a dream- ever since his uncle Ian died by the hands of Yassen Gregorovich. He was dead now, of course, but his death had uncovered many painful truths. He wanted to believe that Alan Blunt was all a figment of his imagination, and not the man who forcefully pulled him into the world of betrayal, action, and surprises. He wanted that the fact his father and uncle had been a spy to be a dream, but the fact haunted him every day. God, he always wished that he was like any other schoolboy, daydreaming about the excitement of being anywhere out of school. But for Alex, he would have given anything to be in school, away from death, treachery, and blood. But here he was, in an unknown place, with a fatigued body that refused to oblige its host's commands to move.

Alex struggled to sit up on the bed. Every motion erupted another dull ache from his body, but after a couple of tries, Alex managed to prop himself up on the bed. Just behind him, a old voice said, "I wouldn't move yet, if I was you." Alex whipped back to the source of the sound, and instantly regretted it. His body was so sore, and he felt as if he had been holding the sky for over a century. Alex laid eyes on the man, vigilant, and crossed his arms- he didn't want to look weak in front of this man. Alex idly wondered if the man was his captor or his savior. He didn't know yet, and there was no way that Alex was lowering his guard until he got the heads-up from Alan Blunt. But it didn't necessarily mean that Alex trusted Blunt, either.

The man before Alex was in a wheel chair and he looked very old, like a millennia old- but his eyes were sharp and clear like a hawks', seizing up Alex with merely a glance. Alex was on the guard in a flash, even though he was battered and exhausted. The man noticed Alex's muscles tense, and smiled gently- millions of creases on his face deepened, and he asked slowly, "who are you?"

Who am I? Alex wondered. Spy, schoolboy, secret weapon, lethal, killer... A large amount of silence ensued, Alex still listing the dark list of his identity was growing ever longer- which was stopped by a rasping cough from the man. "I'm Alex Rhode," Alex said finally, sticking with his secret identity. "Who are you?" Alex asked cautiously, watching the man's eyes, seeing if there was a hint of murder or venom in his eyes. Alex only saw knowledge... and sadness. Unlike all the past captors, this guy actually seemed like he cared about Alex… Of course, Sarov had cared for Alex too, and look where that went; there could've been a nuclear war because of that guy. So much for love.

"My name is Chiron; I am the trainer of this camp."

"What camp? I'm not in a camp."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm not."

Chiron sighed, and scratched his head. "When you were fighting the man before Annabeth rescued you..."

"She didn't rescue me; I was fine without her."

"That's not the point!" Chiron yelled, exasperated. "The point is, when you somehow killed him, he must have turned into yellow sand."

Shocked silence. Alex's mind was reeling; how did this man know? "He did... But it can't be true." Alex whispered, his eyes wide. He had lost his cool demeanor completely. It couldn't be true though!

"It is, Alex. This may sound very cliched, but this world... It's not as it seems." Chiron said, stony-faced, his eyes very serious. Alex wanted to laugh at this man's face. Alex already knew this world was not as it seems as a spy; nothing was ever good- something had to be up. Nobody was ever to be trusted; especially a man like Chiron.

But Alex remained silent. Chiron took a deep breath, and started to talk. "Do you know what Greek mythology is?" a nod. "Well... It's all true. All of it. There are actually gods who controls the world. Zeus controls the sky, Poseidon the sea, Hades the underworld. Countless others... You'll learn about them later."

"Hold on. Are you actually trying to make me believe that there is a god?" Alex laughed maliciously. Alex thought Damian Cray was crazy- Chiron was insane.

"Let me explain, Alex. When one of a child's parent is a god, we call them demigods- you know, demi meaning half. Half Gods. You, Alex are a demigod."

"Prove it."

Chiron actually smiled. "Have you ever felt that you never fitted in? Dyslexia? ADHD? Weird occurrences?"

Definitely. Being a teenage spy must count as weird (if that's not weird, what is?). Alex never felt as if he fitted in. But that was different. No one was a teenage spy. There was no damn way that all demigods were spies. If there were demigods in the first place. Alex curtly nodded. "But that doesn't necessarily prove it though."

Chiron smiled sadly. "You probably won't believe me, but I know somebody who you will. I'm sure you'll believe it when Alan Blunt tells you it's true."

"What do you mean? You can't possibly know Blunt; than do you know about..." Alex trailed off, shocked and scared, as he stared at Chiron in horror. This man knew! This man actually knew Alan Blunt!

Just then, Annabeth strolled into the room, hands on hips, and without looking at Alex, she said to Chiron, "there is another new camper. Should I attend to her?"

Chiron looked at Annabeth, and nodded. "I will talk to her later. After I deal with..."

For the first time, Annabeth looked at Alex. "Oh. I understand." With that, the girl strutted off, and Alex grunted. _Is she always like that?_

_"_As I was saying, I have a mean of communication for you. Come with me." Chiron wheeled himself out of the room with a shockingly fast pace.

Alex sighed, and slowly got himself out of bed. His body hurt like hell, and he wished that Chiron would go outside slower, like a normal disabled old man. _Who's normal here? A spy, old man who claims there are gods who control the space, and a girl who was supposedly going to **save** my life? _When he got out of the house, he was, quite simply, amazed. Once outside, he first realized that he wasn't alone in this "camp". There were tens and hundreds of kids doing who-knows-what. More than one person were holding swords. He quickly scanned for Chiron, and ran after him. Chiron was far away, and it felt like it took forever to catch up to him. When Alex did catch up, Chiron and him were in a creek, that made small sprays that caught the light and made a big rainbow.

"Wait here." Chiron said, and tossed a gold coin into the mist. It dissappeared. _How did that happen... "Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering. Show me Alan Blunt." _Alex swore the mist flickered, and an image of Alan Blunt showed. Alex's mouth dropped in surprise. Blunt looked at him, and in a dull voice, he said, "Ah, Alex. I see you have finally found Camp Half-blood."

* * *

A/N:

Sorry- this may have no sense at all, since I was writing this during a period when I was very angry/sad. You know... I hope the later ones become more interesting- this was quite boring, don't you think?

By the way- I'm not thinking of a Alex/Annabeth pairing- maybe a new camper/Alex. I don't know.

'Til next time!

-Bookwormygirl.


	3. Chapter 3

Hiya! I'm seriously sorry that I haven't updated in a while, and I blame it on my homework and mean teachers.

Anyway, read and enjoy! We'll talk later!

Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or AR. If I did, then no one would know about it.

* * *

Alex stared at the man, mouth agape with shock. Why did that man always seemed to be entwined into Alex's life? His gray eyes bore into Alex's, apathetic and unflinching. How many death sentences had come out of that man's mouth? How many condemned missions were organized by him? It was hard to believe that this man was the man who organizes the whole process of spying. No one with such a dull face could be the man who organizes assassinations, interrogations, and the infiltrations. "Blunt. Why are you here?"

Blunt's eyes gazed down at Alex's through the mist. "Alex. I see your mission has gone well." Blunt said calmly; monotonously.

Alex glared at the man who ruined his life. "_Well_?" Alex scoffed. "If you don't count the fact that I nearly got eaten by a cannibal and am stuck in some weird asylum with a psychotic wheelchair man who claims there are such thing as greek gods, then yes, my mission has gone well." Alex pointedly shrugged back with a fake smile and said, "the man's still there."

Blunt sighed, as if he was dealing with a bratty preteen, and said, "Alex, the mission went as exactly as planned. I wanted you to meet Chiron- or as you call him, the "wheelchair man", and I need you to stay here. You'll learn to believe the greek gods; them, and the monsters are real. In fact, many of the MI6 agents are half-bloods. So are the men in the K-unit."

Alex raised his eyebrows. So many information! too much! And he thought he knew too much about the undercover world... "Who's Wolf's parents?"

"Ares- the god of war."

Alex nodded. _That makes sense_. "Fox?"

"Apollo, the god of medicine, sun and music."

_Huh... Music? Better ask Fox about that later._ "How about you?"

For once, Blunt moved his face, to twitch his eyebrows. "My mother is Athena, the goddess of wisdom."

_Understandable_. "How about me? I thought my parents were John and Helen Rider. Is that another lie?" Alex's words were thickly laced with venom, which Blunt pretended not to hear. After all, Blunt had lied countless times to get his way- It didn't surprise Alex that Blunt had lied again.

Blunt sighed once again, and said, "I really did think that you were mortal, Alex. But the next thing I know, the doctors of St. Mango -who also knows about half-bloods, for _your_ information- said that they have evidence that one of your parents are immortal. John Rider was definitely mortal, so I have no choice but to believe that Helen Rider wasn't Helen Rider. She is immortal, and is still alive." Blunt seemed irritated to know that some important information had slipped under his very nose, but Alex seemed very happy to know that Blunt could make mistakes. Alex felt a small trickle of fondness to his mysterious mother; of course, he felt melancholic and bitter that his mother couldn't have dropped by and told him that she was alive and watching him. If she was watching him.

"Blunt? Who are you talking to? Could that be-?" a feminine voice rang through the iris message- Mrs. Jones. Alex was amused to see that Blunt actually seemed distressed and was getting forced out of the image projected in the mist. Alex waved as Blunt was completely obscured by Tulip Jones, who looked at Alex with a mixture of pride, pity and pleasure. "Alex! You are safe! I know this half-blood business must be quite a scare for you; I understand. My mother was Themis- the god of justice." _Shocker. _Alex simply nodded us if he understood. "Anyway, there's something I want you to do at camp half-blood. I understand that you don't believe in the gods, so you can just think of this as a mission. As a matter of fact, I want you to keep an eye on things there. I have no idea what happened after I left...

"Here is what I want you to do..."

Chiron was gone when Mrs. Jones cut the connection. So many things were going through his brain, from_ who is my parent?_ to _I'm hungry_. He walked back to the house where he was nursed back to health, as he had no idea where to go. Alex sighed deeply, disturbed; in fact, he had not felt so unhinged since Ian's...

...No. _Yassen's_ death.

With a sigh, he strode up the steps to the house.

* * *

How is it? This is completely a filler chapter. I'm sorry.

I'll try to write these things faster. I know this is seriously short, and I apologize, again.

I should get the next chapter up soon. Thank you to all of you who reviewed and put up story alerts!

If you have a spare minute of time, then please review!

Thank you for reading!

Bookwormy Girl.


	4. Chapter 4

"Ah, Alex! I see you have finished talking to Mr. Blunt... Will you join me and another new camper to try and get an idea of who your godly parent may be?" Alex nodded. He figured that the more idea he had about the gods would help him get his bearings here. He wanted to be unnoticed- and acting like a fool around these _kids_ would make him stick out like a sore thumb.

Alex silently walked into the white, sterile room after Chiron, taking everything in. There were one table, two chairs, and a girl, sitting on one of the chairs. The girl had jet black hair to her shoulders and crystal blue eyes that seemed vaguely familiar to Alex. The girl warily watched them come, and she looked as if she didn't trust any of them. Chiron was looking oblivious to this as he wheeled himself next to the girl. "Alex, meet Aileen, another half blood who just joined us today."

The girl scowled at the word _half blood. "_Look, Chiran or Chiron or who ever you are, I don't believe in gods. I put faith in science. Your story- that's just full of crap." Surprisingly, this girl didn't say this in a heated manner. In stead, she said this calmly and cooly, which unnerved Alex.

Chiron sighed, and said, "Aileen, meet Alex."

The girl acted as if she just noticed Alex. "Do _you _believe in this nonsense about Gods? Seriously, anyone who's sane would disregard this old sot that's rambling on about greek myths!" The girl didn't look enraged, but her cold blue eyes told Alex that she wasn't happy.

"Nice to meet you too." Alex muttered under his breath.

Chiron continued on the introductions. "Alex, meet Aileen... I'll let you two get acquainted later. You two should stay together until you become claimed. I'm just going to ask you some questions, okay?" _Nods_. "How old are you?"

Alex, "16"

Aileen, "14"

Chiron's face clouded. He started muttering under his breath to himself. "... Can't be... Gods have promised... an oath..."

Aileen noticed this, and her eyebrows shot up. In a sarcastic note of concern, she asked, "What's the matter, Chiron? Gods lied to you?"

Chiron acted as if he didn't hear Aileen. _This guy is more like Blunt then I wagered._ Raising his head, he said, "No matter. Have you seen any green glows around your bodies?" Shakes of heads. "No? Alright. Are there anything you are exceptionally good at?"

"Well, I'm good at sneaking around, I guess." Aileen shrugged. "And I'm good at surviving."

_She has no idea what she's talking about, _Alex thought. "Same here." _In fact, I'm not "good" at it, this is what I have to do as a living._

Chiron gave Alex a knowing look and started crossing out things on a piece of paper. "Alex, I know your mortal parent is male. How about you?" Chiron looked directly at Aileen, in a way that said, _Don't you dare give me cheeky comments anymore, young lady._

Aileen rolled her eyes, not intimidated at all. " I _think _my dad is mortal... But I'm not too sure." For the first time, her blue eyes clouded. "He never talked about himself... and to think of it... I don't really know him at all." She started heaving, as if getting a nervous breakdown. Chiron looked at her, concerned, but when Aileen realized this, she abruptly stopped and acted as if nothing had happened. "Yeah, so I think my dad's mortal." Aileen said this so nonchalantly that it was hard to believe that Aileen had acted so eerily.

Chiron tapped his clipboards, sighing. "Well, there doesn't seem to be any unmistakable signs to define your immortal parent, so I guess we'll just put you in Hermes' cabin." Recieving blank looks, Chiron sighed, finally aware that Alex and Aileen had absolutely no idea who he was talking about. _What do you expect when your schooling time is reduced for spying? _"He's a god of thieves, messengers and travelers. So his cabin is where we put unclaimed children... And his sons and daughters, of course."

Aileen shrugged, as if she couldn't care less, and said, "well, it seems like you're going to feed me and everythin', so I guess I'll stay here until I have to... go."

Alex and Aileen stood in unison, and without a word, left the room.

Chiron smiled behind them.

* * *

Alex and Aileen walked slowly outside, silently, waiting for each other to make the first move. Truthfully, neither of them knew which way to go to the Hermes' cabin, but couldn't tolerate saying so; needless to say, their pride was _very_ high. _Especially (for Alex) after encounters with Blunt._

Blissfully, Annabeth and a black haired boy chose the very moment to come hurtling towards them. Ignoring Alex, she asked Aileen, "Do you know which way to go? I can show you around!" Aileen nodded curtly, but that didn't faze Annabeth at all to drop her jovial facade. She continued talking, and introduced the other teen to Alex and Aileen. "Percy, meet Alex and Aileen- they're new." She waved towards them. "Aileen, meet Percy." Aileen vaguely smiled at Percy, while Alex studied Percy, silently fuming that Annabeth kept ignoring him. _What the heck did I do to you?_

Annabeth led Percy, Aileen, and Alex towards the Hermes' cabin, now talking about the history of the half-bloods- apparently, there was a war recently against Titans, and Percy saved the world*. Percy waved it away as it was nothing and told Annabeth that if it wasn't for her, he wouldn't have been alive. Thew glowed with smiles. _Percy must be Annabeth's boyfriend- no wonder she's so upbeat. Ugh._

* * *

When Aileen and Alex finally reached Hermes' cabin, they were horrified at the revelation that the Hermes' cabin wasn't the nicest cabin in the bunch. It was a fairly big cabin, but it looked like a small earthquake could easily topple it. Plain brown paint flecked off its walls, making the cabin look old and frail. Inside, Alex could hear yells and screams of young children -_ I'd take Athena's cabin anytime, even if that meant I had to be with Annabeth_. Besides Alex, Aileen grimaced, seeming uncomfortable with the notion that she was practically going to have to live in that mess of a house.

Of course, nothing seemed to have pleased that girl. Alex wryly thought about the girl, wondering whether or not the girl was for real. Despite her childish and whiny facade in front of Chiron, Alex could see that Aileen was calculating every single aspect of the camp. No, not only that. She had been in a mute manner towards Annabeth and Percy so that she wouldn't leave an impression on them. _She's just like me; she doesn't want to be noticed._

_But why doesn't she want to talk?_ Alex dryly wondered, but that wasn't the biggest problem he had right now. Currently, an internal battle was raging in his heart. He dind't _want _to do Blunt's mission. There was nothing against Alex from forgetting about what Blunt said going home. _Sure, they'll be hell to pay; but wasn't it worth it? _

In truth, it probably was worth it. After the near fatal bullet had gotten to him, with unpredictable aches in his chest, Alex felt wearier and wearier. Jones and Blunt had acted sorry, but that didn't stop them from putting him in the field a couple of months after he was out of the hospital. _Blunt probably planned this mission before I even recovered._

"Alex?" Aileen called, slowly. "Let's go." She said this without looking at him, as if he was below her notice. Whoever she was, Alex was going to have to watch her- she was too much like him.

God, I hope she doesn't see me as her friend. Alex thought.

Because if she is who Jones told me to watch out for...

... I'm going to have to betray her.

* * *

*I'm not going to explain in full detail how Percy and co. saved the world and how Kronos was bad. blah blah. Hopefully, you already know that.

Not my best chapter, but I had to finish this like this or else I'd never get to the next chapter.

"I should get the next chapter soon" Ah. What lies! I'll try not to say misleading things like that. Sorry.

It's a bit late, but needless to say, I don't own PJO or AR. If I did, it wouldn't have sold as much (probably wouldn't have been published).

See you next time- I haven't given up yet.

Bookwormy girl.


	5. Chapter 5

"I don't get it- why do I have to act like this?" The girl said uncertainly.

The woman looked at Aileen nonchalantly, but gave no reply.

"I don't get it." The girl said again, determined not to get provoked.

"There's no need for you to- just do as I ask, and you'll get what you want." The woman said, and disappeared.

* * *

It's been a month.

Alex, as usual, had speedily gained information. He now knew enough about the gods' history to pass for a camp half-blood old-timer. He found most of the campers- and their secrets – stealthily and subtly. He had come to accept the gods' existence.

However, the gods did not accept his existence in return- At all.

Nobody claimed him. He had been stuck in the Hermes' cabin all month, and there were rumors going around. It was unheard of since the war with the Titans that a boy 16 years old weren't claimed. Either his parent was _really_ careless, or… His parent couldn't contact him.

Unfortunately, another girl had the same problem.

For almost a month, the other undetermined camper, Aileen, sulked in the Hermes cabin, muttering about 'how it was all unfair', and how 'she had other things to do at home.' Alex really didn't want to listen to her moans and her pitiful complaints about her life, yet there was one thing nagging him.

Why was Jones so interested in her? She wasn't special, as far as Alex could see; she was a normal American girl who had the annual routine of going to school, and being expelled from it within the year, like most demigods- except some, like Alex. He didn't know much about her parentage –it seemed that it was a touchy subjects for most children at the camp- but he was pretty sure it couldn't be that significant.

Alex fleetingly thought about the mission he had before he was captured by the dog-man (Annabeth had taught him the proper name for the monster, but Alex wasn't very interested), when he was supposed to be researching about missing children in New York. Now, Alex thought bitterly, he was sure that it was a ruse so that MI6 wouldn't have the trouble of explaining Greek gods to him- they delivered Alex into Camp Half-blood to spy in the most inconspicuous way. Although, he still didn't know how Chiron knew about MI6.

But for the time being, Alex silently lay in the Hermes' camp, listening to the quiet breathing of his peers while they slept. There was no sign of danger, no imminent threat- he was safe, and he should've been enjoying every minute of it.

However, he felt strangely empty, like he was missing something.

_The __thrill __has __become __part __of__ me.__ Brilliant._ Alex was sprawled on his sleeping bag deciphering all the new information that he had acquired the past month. According to everyone around here, this place was the safest place in the universe against monsters, who inexplicably attacked half-bloods due to a very old grudge (as in _millions__ of__ years __old_) or just because their hungry. The gods' parents were called Titans, who wanted to rule the world again- but a couple of months ago, this boy called Percy Jackson saved the world.

_So __he's __a __hero__ too_. Alex had thought. _Good __for __him- people __actually __celebrates __his __success. __At __least __he __has __no __other imminent __threats __to __his __life. __Every time_**_ I_**_ reluctantly __save __the __world, __it __only __wins __me __more __trouble, __and __more __people __who __want __to __kill __me. __My __life, __although__ very__ similar, __is__ not__ like__ Percy's. __He__ wanted__ to__ save__ the __world, in the end.__ I__ had __no __other __choice._

It wasn't that Alex was jealous- far from that. He respected Percy and wished he could know the other more. It was just that Alex didn't have any good friends in this camp. Not because he was unpopular -in fact, he was quite popular with the Aphrodite girls, and he conversed easily with many of the children there- but because he didn't feel like he was part of the group. It was everything that Ms. Jones wanted, but it was not what Alex wanted at all. Ms Jones already had another mission for Alex- and he had to comply. To do so, he had to befriend Aileen, who was still acting like a brat, with no explanation from Ms. Jones whatsoever.

Aileen wasn't bad, really. After the ordeal with Chiron, she had quieted suddenly, and had looked longingly at the sky, as if there was an answer to her problems in one of the clouds. She looked at Alex mournfully, then said, "I've got no idea what the hell I'm doing here, and I'm guessing it's the same to you. I'm sorry that I might act like a complete idiot, but trust me, it's not my fault." A grin had slowly crept up her face, and with a casual flick of her black hair, she asked, "do you mind if I stayed with you? I don't feel like acting likable, and I have an uncanny feeling that you'll be one of the only people willing to put up with me here." Alex had nodded, for that was what Ms. Jones wanted, and briefly wondered what Aileen had meant by not being it her fault that she was bratty. Currently, it had seemed that Aileen wasn't, in fact, a headstrong spoiled twat.

In fact, she reminded him of Jack.

The thought sent a jolting pain through his heart, and he felt his eyes moisten- he felt utterly alone, and now his most trusted friend wasn't here to comfort him anymore- ever. Sighing, he quietly exited the cabin and decided to go see the nightly sea.

After Yassen's death and the terrible ordeal with Scorpia, Alex hadn't been released by MI6. He went to various missions, all of them successful, yet his friend and housekeeper, Jack, seemed sadder and forlorn, losing her usual cheerfulness as more and more missions were completed. Alex knew Jack didn't like the fact that he had to do this, and there was nothing that could stop MI6 from using him, but perhaps Jack had seen the change- Alex had come to accept it, and in some ways, started to enjoy his job. Because soon after, all too suddenly, she bluntly told him that she was going to return to America, after "she found someone trustworthy to take care of Alex."

_Alex gaped at her, uncomprehending. "You can't be serious."_

_Jack looked at him dispiritedly, and sighed. "Please understand, Alex. I can't handle this anymore- your business with MI6, that's taken a toll on me. I only came here to work for your uncle so I'd have a place to live. It's just too much."_

_Alex looked at her. Then, Jack gently and uncertainly touched his scar on his chest through the rough surface of the T-shirt, as if reminding him what had happened before. _

"_Please__ understand, __Alex.__ These __last__ few __years,__ after __Ian's__ death, __it's __been __hard for__ both __of __us. __I.__ Just. __Can't.__ Take.__ It. __Any. more." __She__ said __desperately, __trying __to__ find__ some __emotion __in__ Alex's __now __blank __face, __which__ hid__ the __turmoil__ in __his__ mind.__ Alex__ nodded mutely,__ as __if __he __understood, __and__ left __the __table,__ and__ without__ a __backward __glance,__ went__ up__ to__ his__ room._

_Jack silently watched him go, a single tear escaping her eyes._

Next to the sea, Alex let himself wallow in his loneliness, closing his eyes. A few weeks after the affair, Jack had left for America- forever. He remembered his uncle, he remembered Jack, and bizarrely, he remembered Yassen, and the way his voice stood firm when he said he did not kill children. It seemed, to Alex, that they were the only ones who had protected him before.

For a while, he just sat in the sand, watching the waves roll by. The sea was strangely quiet today, and Alex was blissfully isolated. He closed his eyes, and took his mind off his worries. He soon drifted into sleep on the cold sandy floor.

* * *

A short scream jolted him from his sleep. Alex started, then jumped up- somebody was in trouble, and he was ready to help. Quickly, he scanned the area for a weapon, then realized useful weapons would be in the armory. _Jeez, I'm not the hero here- what am I thinking? _Alex marveled at himself, but he didn't think twice about running towards the source of the scream; the scream had been cut short soon after, a telltale sign that the person was in trouble. He ran to the source of the scream, as fast as he could.

-He ran to his cabin.

* * *

Chiron blearily watched the commotion from the big house, and seeing Alex, he sighed. _The poor boy acts like the whole world is his responsibility- so much for "giving him rest", as Mr. Blunt had put it. _He watched as Alex hurled himself into the Hermes cabin, and bit back a smile, as he heard no other noise, he was sure that the problem wasn't serious- probably another new camper getting a nightmare.

_It was time that Alex knew that he wasn't the only one who can save the world- _Chiron mused.

Then, without bothering to check on the camp mates, he sauntered back inside, promising himself that he'll have a talk with Alex and Aileen tomorrow, to see whether they were getting used to this new life.

After all, being in a camp for kids with gods as one of their parents, without being determined, could prove to be aggravating...

and anyway, he had to make sure Alex wasn't going to do anything _stupid_.

* * *

A/N:

Before anything, I have to say that I'm really sorry. Come to think of it, this upload didn't take very long to write, it's just I wrote like twenty drafts, and all of the sucked. I'm sorry it took so long to upload- I had some trouble in my life... Can I leave it at that?

I was actually going to scrap the whole fic, and forget about everything, but when I looked at the umber of hits, and reviews, and how people were still reading this fic, I felt that I had to finish it.

So, yeah. I'm going to try.

Thanks for bearing it with me, and giving me hope :)

(_ohmygaud can i get any cheesier?)_

Oh, and I don't own PJO or AR 'cause it would've never been completed if I did.

Once again, sorry, and thank you!

Bookwormy girl.

See you next time! (and let's hope it doesn't take me a whole ****** year to write it!)


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